Asma Fouathia

Born in Algeria in 1983 to a diplomat family, Asma Fouathia came to the United States at age eight. Fouathia attended high school in New York City at Essential school Humanities Prep Academy. During this time, she spent a great deal of her time competing as an international elite gymnast; she was part of the Algerian National team for Internal Rhythmic Gymnasts competing in multiple world competitions. Fouathia also became an HIV peer educator, spreading the knowledge of the issue through conferences and seminars to aid young high school students in the awareness of the global pandemic of HIV and AIDS. As a college student at Pace University, Asma joined and became president of the Arab Alliance, which worked to enhance Arab American voiced and culture. An actress and writer, Asma beat out over 60 screenplay script submissions to win the first annual Arab-American Filmmaker Award in 2005 sponsored by Tony Shalhoub, Zoom-in Focus and NAAP. Asma continues her outreach work through her creative outlet of writing and directing films, as well as teaching inner city children Rhythmic Gymnastics. Foathia will discuss the ways that being at a CES school helped her demonstrate her mastery by sharing her activism in a film presentation.